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Into the Sunless Citadel
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Sunless Citadel. The Sunless Citadel was a fortress within the Warring Woods that was uncovered and explored soon after the Silence of the Gods. Dramatis Personae The adventurers hailed from Sang City, having been part of the Lord Protector's forces that put down several rebellions in the countryside sparked by fears during the Silence of the Gods and the conflicts in the south. Heroes * Ischkarax "Ice" Fothis - a dragonborn paladin from Fothis who sought to bring back the order to the world that was lost in the Silence, empowered by the Platinum Dragon to enact his will. * Cyril Braveheart - a half-elven bard and herald of the Lord Protector's 17th Regiment during the rebellion of the "New Gods" bannermen, a band of false prophets and demagogues that were put down by the forces of Sang. * Vatriel Coldblood - A human rogue and officer of the 17th Regiment of the Lord Protector's forces, distinguished himself during the rebellion of the followers of the "New Gods", earning an early retirement and right to freelance within the realms of Sang. Allies The group encountered a number of people and creatures as they uncovered the mysteries of the Sunless Citadel. * Erky Timbers - a gnome cleric of Elendei that had been directed by visions from his god to bring her light to this realm without sunlight. * Meepo - a kobold dragonkeeper that had been exiled from his clan for misplacing the dragon that had been under his care. Plot The group arrived in Lowater, the last stop on the edge of the Warring Woods as the river Sang flows into that dark realm. Having made their way from Sang City the group was eager to learn more about this strange citadel that had been revealed by recent upheavals in the earth. Lowater Arriving in Lowater the group went first to the Ol'Boar Inn, where Garon the owner and barkeep served them food and drink as they stayed and learned about the town. They learned that no one knows for sure what this Sunless Citadel, as the locals were calling it, once was, but legends hinted at it being the retreat of an ancient dragon cult long ago. They also learned of those that had traveled to the Citadel before, a brother and sister Talgen and Sharwyn Hucrele, locals that traveled with two others, a knight and a cloaked figure. They also heard of a grim human named Belak who traveled with a large bet frog who had gone searching for the Citadel thirteen years ago. They paid a visit to Kerowyn Hucrele who believed her children, Talgen and Sharwyn, were lost in the Citadel and she wished to know their fates, she offered to pay the group should they find them and return with proof of their fates, offering a greater reward should they be returned alive. They met Dem "Corkie" Nackle, a gnome priest of Pelor, who spoke to them of the knight that had traveled with the Hucrele siblings, a member of the Hallowed Assault whose order was stirring up trouble within the Warring Woods. Trouble like the stories of cattle being found with strange puncture wounds all over their bodies, or the goblins that are said to dwell in the Citadel selling a wondrous fruit that cures those who eat it of all wounds and aliments. Getting equipment from Rurik the local blacksmith, and potions from Corkie, the group set off down the river towards the ravine where the Sunless Citadel awaits. The Citadel See the old Dragon from his throne ''Sink with enormous ruin down! '' - Old Hymn Finding the ravine, the group descended down a knotted rope left behind by the previous group that had left behind, which left them on the top of a great ledge with a staircase that led down into the darkness below. Fighting off the rats that lurked in the darkness, the group reached the half sunken fortress and entered it through a crumbling courtyard. Searching the citadel, the group found evidence of the other group along with some secrets hidden within the chambers of the fortress, including a sealed chamber that required a key to unlock, covered in draconic imagery. Fighting many creatures and monsters, the group found some treasures and gold left by the denizens of the creatures that had made the fortress their home over the years. Within the fortress the group encountered the Calcryx Clan of kobolds, first meeting Meepo the dragonkeeper of the clan who had been exiled after the dragon he had been charged with keeping was taken by the goblins, the hated foe of the kobold clan. Their leader, Yusdrayl, spoke of the holy nature of the citadel, that it was a site of worship to the great red dragon Ashardalon, as well as much of the comings and goings of those that had visited the citadel, including the Hurcrele siblings and their companions, Striking a deal with the group, Yusdrayl offered to give them the key held within her throne if they returned the dragon Calcryx that had been taken by their goblin foe, sending Meepo with them to ensure this happened. Fighting more of the rats that had infested the prison cells of the fortress, the group eventually came face to face with the Mama Rat, a great bloated beast that had slain the cloaked ranger that had traveled with the siblings, the warrior having fallen to the creature in its den. Slaying the beasts and recovering the lost items the ranger had on him, finding he was named Karakas according to an engraving on his ring. They set up a small camp in the no-mans-land between the goblin and kobold parts of the dungeon. Goblin Kingdom "Trespassers who walk in the halls of the Durbuluk, prepare to feel the power of my-" -Grenl the shaman moments before being speared by a javelin A gate divided the goblin domain and the rest of the dungeon, a wall complete with crenelations and layers of goblin warriors prevented the group from advancing. As the group cut them down they found a number of prisoners, including Erky Timber, a cleric of Elendei that had been captured by the goblins and kept in a cage near some other kobold captives. Freeing the prisoners, the group learned more of the siblings and their companion, that it was a wicked man named Belak who was behind the strange fruit that the goblins sold, its seeds sprouting to become twig blights, small creatures that do the bidding of this corrupt druid. Continuing on with Erky, the group found Calcyrx the white dragon wyrmling that had been taken by the goblins, the creature having broken free of its restraints and was busy making a lair for itself in the room it had been left in, complete with a hoard of junk it found in their. After a tense negotiation, Calcyrx agreed to return to the kobold clan with Meepo where it would have the opportunity to have those that worshiped it fawning for it rather than having to deal with the goblins and rats as immediate neighbours. Meepo left the group very thankful, setting off with the white dragon to the kobold side of the dungeon. Avoiding goblin patrols the group managed to reach the Hall of the Goblin Chief, where Durnn, the hobgoblin chieftain of tribe Durbuluk held court. With him were his two hobgoblin bodyguards and his goblin shaman Grenl, in the centre of the room as a pit that led down into the deeper layers of the citadel, the Twilight Grove as Erky called it. After a tense battle with the chief, the group managed to overcome the cocky warrior and hurled his body into the pit as he died. Taking stock, the group readied themselves to delve into the darkness below, where they were certain the siblings had been taken. Grove of Twilight "It's beautiful, no? It lives, though it looks dead. In an age long past, someone staked a vampire on this very spot. The stake took root. And so grew the Gulthias Tree, reverberating with primal power for those who can tap into it." - Belak the Outcast Descending to the grove level the group encounter the fungus filled garden where the dead tend to the luminescent plants in the damp air and the Great Hunter, Balsag, with his giant rat hounds lurk in the shadows of the Boneways. Defeating these guardians, the group find the laboratories of master of this level, as well as the galleries where great artworks once hung now replaced with the glowing fungus and corrupted plants. Pushing past the goblin gardeners, the group find more evidence of the former cult that dwelt in the Citadel, with draconic imagery and crumbling shrines. The corruption appeared to not yet have spread to the rooms devoted to Ashardalon, the destructive power that dragon once invoked stemming the tide of plants and fungus, at least for the moment. Finding the study of Belak, the group used their cunning and guile to lure the goblin guards out of their sentry positions, incapacitating them and entering the Twilight Grove without the alarm being raised. There they faced a dozen of the twig blights, Cyril charming them with his music to fall into a deep sleep, allowing the group to enter the grove proper unharmed. Entering the chamber that held the Gulthias Tree, the source of the corruption that was seeping out of the Citadel, before it stood Belak the Outcast, and beside him stood Officer Braford and Sharwyn Hucrele thralls of Belak, and behind them was Talgen Hucrele being engulfed by the corruption of the Gulthias Tree. Questioning Belak, the group learned of his dread plan to spread this corruption across Etan, as well as the origins of this monstrous tree, and Belak's desire to turn all who dare oppose him into thralls like Braford and the Hucreles. Vatriel ordered Erky to aid Talgen, the three men pairing off against the Tree's defenders; Ice locking blades with Officer Braford, Vatriel taking on Belak, while Cyril and Sharwyn exchanged magical spells across the battlefield. Though Ice was knocked down, the group rallied and managed to get the best of Belak, his cowardly frog companion fleeing into the Boneways as his master died. Meanwhile, Erky had managed to focus his divine powers into Talgen reversing the effects of the tree, believing he could do the same to the others, the group decided to burn the tree down. As it burned the entire grove level began to shake as the Gulthias Tree writhed in agony, fearing that the entire level might collapse, Vatriel ordered everyone to flee to the upper levels, the goblins that remained doing likewise. Dashing out of the corrupted world below, the group emerged back into the Goblin Kingdom, and pushed through into the kobold held part of the Citadel where they took a brief rest before carrying the injured siblings and wounded knight with them. Tired and injured, the seven of them emerged into the sunlight above the ravine, leaving the Sunless Citadel behind.Category:Warring Woods Category:Events Category:Campaigns Category:Dungeon Category:Tales of the Yawning Portal